November 6, 2025

The New York Times’ word game collection got a spicy new twist with its game called NYT Strands. This puzzle isn’t like Wordle or Connections where you guess words or group them. No, Strands is a six-by-eight letter grid where players trace words linked by a cool theme — sideways, up-down, or diagonally. On November 5, 2025, Strands challenged solvers with a lovely nature theme titled "The butterfly effect." Yes, this puzzle buzzed around the life cycle and habits of the famous monarch butterfly! The puzzle included a special spangram—a long word or phrase stretching across the grid—starting with "MO" and running left to right. For those searching for clues, the official hints gave just enough to guide without spoiling: "Emerging from an egg" and "Green-coloured creepy crawly." These tips nudged players to think about metamorphosis and plants that monarchs love, such as milkweed. And guess what were the answers? Here they are: - Spangram (big long word): MONARCHS - Theme words: HATCH, CATERPILLAR, MIGRATE, CHRYSALIS, MILKWEED These words perfectly paint the butterfly’s amazing journey from egg to majestic flyer. The puzzle was rated easy to medium (2 out of 5) by regular word puzzle fans, thanks to the clear spangram hint and focused nature topic. Players spotting “MONARCH” early had a smooth ride! Want to crack Strands puzzles like a champ? Try scanning the edges for word starters, look for short words to unlock hints, think about the theme, and trace your path with your finger. It’s a game for your eyes and mind! NYT Strands is found on The New York Times Games website and app, though you might need a subscription to play. And that spangram? It’s the puzzle’s secret weapon—a longer word that stretches from one side of the grid to the other, showing off the day’s theme. So next time you want a scrumptious word challenge with a splash of nature, jump into NYT Strands and see if you can spot the hidden butterfly magic!

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Tags: Nyt strands, Word puzzles, Butterfly Theme, Spangram, Puzzle hints, Daily puzzle,